Beyond the Box Office: “Stronger” - A Film Worth Watching
In our weekly “Beyond the Box Office” segment, we highlight films that may not hit Russian cinemas but still deserve your attention.
Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal), a slacker with no particular athletic prowess, attends the 2013 Boston Marathon to support his ex-girlfriend, Erin (Tatiana Maslany). When Chechen terrorists detonate a bomb, Jeff is near the epicenter and loses both his legs. Miraculously, doctors save his life. Upon regaining consciousness, Jeff provides the FBI with a description of one of the perpetrators, aiding in their identification. Bauman’s actions become public, and he’s hailed as a local hero – a symbol of Boston’s resilience in the face of tragedy. However, Jeff doesn’t see himself as a hero. Despite the support of his family and Erin, who returns to his side, his rehabilitation is arduous. Jeff, whose life lacked purpose before, now struggles to find meaning. He shuns interviews, succumbs to depression, and pushes Erin away, feeling unworthy of her love and care.
Despite critical acclaim, the film underperformed at the box office.
It seems no tragedy is off-limits for Hollywood’s penchant for creating uplifting stories. The 2013 Boston Marathon bombing could have sparked a critical examination of the FBI and police’s shortcomings in protecting the nation. Instead, America produces films like last year’s “Patriots Day” or the new “Stronger,” which avoid delving into political wounds and instead celebrate ordinary Bostonians – fictional police officers in “Patriots Day” or real-life victims of the attack in “Stronger.”
Deconstructing the Hero Narrative
However, David Gordon Green’s film doesn’t immediately resort to glorification. Its core message lies in the fact that the heroes we read about in the news are far more complex individuals than they appear. The film meticulously explores the contrast between the public’s perception of Jeff and his true self – an immature, lazy, and alcoholic individual raised in a loving but questionable family. No one is more aware of his flaws than Jeff himself, and he grapples not only with his physical limitations but also with the feeling that the respect and media attention he receives are undeserved. “What did I do?” he wonders bitterly. “I was at the epicenter of the explosion and lost my legs?” Each new “failure” reinforces his conviction and intensifies his suffering.
Gyllenhaal’s Nuanced Performance
It takes a good, worthy person to be tormented by their shortcomings and to shy away from attention rather than exploit it. Erin recognizes this, growing even more attached to Jeff than before the attack. The director also sees this, entrusting the lead role to Jake Gyllenhaal. While traditional Hollywood heroes may not be his forte, complex characters like Jeff are Gyllenhaal’s bread and butter. He masterfully and charmingly portrays the full spectrum of the character’s emotions and inner turmoil – his pain, anger, love, shame, cowardice, and aggression.
During the film’s production, the real Jeff Bauman and Erin had a child and divorced.
Maslany, formerly the star of the sci-fi series “Orphan Black,” is equally convincing and expressive as the devoted girlfriend. And watching Miranda Richardson as Jeff’s mother, it’s hard to believe she didn’t grow up in Boston but in Britain. The intelligent actress is perfectly cast as, forgive the bluntness, American “white trash” interested only in drinking and baseball.
A Flawed but Powerful Conclusion
Unfortunately, after painting such a vivid portrait of the protagonist, the film falters towards the end with a preachy tone. In the film’s climax, Pedro Martinez – the former baseball player who helped Jeff survive the initial moments after the explosion – delivers a heartfelt speech about why Jeff is important to him. Coupled with similar acknowledgments from others, this speech too easily helps the hero overcome his depression and win back Erin. Overcoming oneself is an internal struggle, not an external effort. The sincerity and emotionality of the ending partially mask its superficiality, but a discerning eye will notice the artistic contradiction between the film’s “body” and its conclusion.
Finally, it’s worth noting that “Stronger” is not a pure drama but a tragicomedy, with a dark humor characteristic of Boston. David Gordon Green is best known for directing farces like “Pineapple Express” and “Your Highness,” but he started in dramatic directing, and now the director perfectly combines jokes and passions – so that they support, rather than negate, each other. That’s what multifaceted experience means!